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The Appalachian Vault Hunter's Guide, August 2103 Edition
Introduction This is a big news issue! Vault 94 has reopened confirming that it has indeed been destroyed. However, the Vault itself is far from empty and may still pose a danger to the region and our efforts to rebuild America. Our guide will provide Residents with the most up-to-date summary of the Vault and the situation within it. In addition, we have two editorials, including one by a guest columnist. Read on to learn more - A Morgan, editor Vault Review Vault 51 Location: '''North-Western Forest region '''Description: '''Recessed into a cliff face with standard Vault door. No externally accessible controls, terminals or other systems. No unusual design features. No access to interior yet discovered. '''Status: '''Sealed (Questionable; see below) '''Type: '''Experimental '''Commentary: The entry for this Vault in the Appalachian Vault Registry at Vault-Tec University was corrupted, but some information was recovered. From what was reconstructed, Vault 51 has (had?) no Overseer, and was instead directed by a ZAX Supercomputer. The Vault was intended to "test the limits of human tribalism". However, in June of this year, the body of a Vault 51 resident was found near Gillman Lumber Mill. Information on their person (including that recovered from their nearly non-fuctional Pip-Boy) indicated that they were the Overseer of Vault 51; a position that was not supposed to exist. Furthermore, the Overseer was carrying a note indicating that they were intending to make contact with a Vault 76 resident and then destroy the Vault 51 ZAX. Because Appalachia didn't have enough homicidal murder computers yet - A Rose Vault 63 Location: '''Mount Blair, Ash Heap region '''Description: '''Located inside a cave that is in turn hidden behind a concealed door in a tool shed. Features a standard Vault Door. Access terminal located near Vault door. Terminal requires access card; one is yet to be located. No access to interior yet discovered. '''Type: '''Experimental (presumed, see notes) '''Status: '''Sealed '''Commentary: The entry for this Vault in the Appalachian Vault Registry at Vault-Tec University was redacted. As yet, nothing is known about the contents and condition of the Vault. It is presumed to be experimental, given that the same entries listed Vault 76 as being the region's Control Vault. Given that the Ash Heap region suffers from subsidence and geological instability, as well as the extensive subterranean fires in its mines, I have to worry about the condition of the Vault itself - K. Mainglov Am I the only one thinking that the entrance is a bit overkill? In a cave behind a secret door on the side of a mountain? - R. Conn Vault 76 Location: Flatwoods County, Appalachia Description: Built into the side of a mountain. Exterior access provided through standard Vault door (with additional cosmetic dressing). Standard vault interior featuring Vault-Tec super reactor and internal resource recycling systems. Separate quarters provided for each resident. Type: Control Vault Status: Opened, uninhabitable Commentary: Vault 76 was the Control Vault for the Appalachian region. Its population were pre-selected from among the best and brightest that the United States had to offer. The Vault was fully populated with its residents and sealed on the day of the Great War. The Vault remained sealed for its expected twenty-five years; during that time, the population increased through reproduction while not suffering a single fatality. The Vault was re-opened on Reclamation Day, October 23rd, 2102. At that point, the Vault’s systems were shut down in order to encourage the population to leave and spread out on their mission, rendering it uninhabitable. However, its systems could in theory be re-started at a later date. For the moment, the Vault has been resealed. While in theory anyone reading this has come from Vault 76, I included this here out of completion as well as in the chance that anyone else finds this or reads it in future – A. Morgan You’re assuming that there are other people left in the world. Pretty big leap there – A. Rose Vault 94 Location: '''The Mire, north-west of Harper's Ferry '''Description: '''Located inside a cave. Features a standard Vault Door. Standard Vault structure divided into different wings/subsections including atrium, residential, reactor, engineering, maintenance tunnels and GECK. Also includes extensive seed bank and greenhouse facilities. Vault has suffered considerable internal damage including collapsed internal walls and floors, as well as damage to systems. Much of the interior is now overgrown with mutated wildlife to a degree that has blocked passageways and sealed off portions of the Vault. '''Type: '''Experimental '''Status: '''Opened, destroyed '''Commentary: Vault 94 was an experimental Vault. Its populace were pre-selected from a religious community that were founded on the principles of non-violence, communal living and the ideal of reclaiming the earth through agriculture. The Vault had no Overseer; while the community was headed up by pastor Gabriella Savitar, all decisions were made communally by consensus. The Vault was equipped with extensive seed banks and greenhouses, as well as a GECK so that it could be used to replenish the earth after a nuclear war in line with the community’s principles. The only Vault-Tec staff was apparently a single engineer who was in charge of the facility. The Vault’s population had no weapons; even their maintenance and support robots were disarmed. At the advent of the Great War the pre-selected population were relocated to the Vault. Only part of the expected population were able to make it before the Vault was sealed. The Vault remained sealed until its scheduled reopening on October 24, 2078. At which point, the Vault’s population sent out Ambassadors to make contact with the rest of Appalachia, supposedly to aid in the reconstruction of the region. Unfortunately, in November 2078, a group of Raiders entered the Vault and took control of it by force. After killing several of the population they entered the GECK wing and attempted to interfere with the device. This resulted in a nuclear explosion that killed everyone in the Vault before its door automatically resealed. However, the GECK survived and continued to operate unsupervised, resulting in rampant growth of mutated plants inside the Vault. These plants managed to then leave the Vault by unknown means and contaminate the surrounding area, resulting in the creation of the Mire region. A number of dead Vault 94 Ambassadors have been found across Appalachia. However it is not clear when they died, and how many of them outlived their fellows in the Vault. While a number of them clearly died through violence, due to decay and environmental damage not all the causes of death can be determined. I suspect the Vault 94 experiment was about seeing if the ideals of such a community could survive in the face of the realities of the post-war world. It also means that Vault-Tec only launched this experiment with the idea that a war was about to happen – R Conn Looking at the surviving Vault 94 terminals, it seems that the decision to populate the Vault with this community was made very late in the day. Perhaps Vault-Tec had at that point reached a conclusion that a nuclear exchange was inevitable based on the overall strategic situation – K Mainglov How sick can you get with basically setting up those people to die? After that, I’m not sure if I want to get inside the other Vaults – A Rose Vault 96 Location: Southern Savage Divide, Appalachia Description: Built into the side of a mountain. Exterior access provided through standard Vault door. Door is elevated with a large platform outside including a freight elevator (presently non-functional) and security booth. No other details known at this time. Type: Experimental Vault (presumed) Status: Sealed Commentary: Vault 96 remains sealed at this time with no indications as to its status or function. Its designation as an experimental Vault is presumed based on information found in the Appalachian Vault registry. A single terminal can be found outside the Vault that provides door access control. Attempts to access the Vault yield a message indicating that the Vault is functioning normally and that access is not required at this time. You ever notice that all of the Vaults in Appalachia that have above-ground doors face south? What’s up with that? – R Conn Given the Vault’s remote location, I have to wonder where its residents were coming from. It’s in the middle of nowhere with only a narrow mountain road for access and is a considerable drive from the nearest railway station – K Mainglov Unknown Vault Location: Unknown Description: Unknown Type: Experimental Vault (presumed) Status: Unknown Commentary: The discovery of the Appalachian Vault Registry in the ruins of Vault-Tec university yielded one surprise. The terminal listed six vaults in the region, as opposed to the five that are currently known. However, all details on this Vault were redacted so, as such, nothing is known about it's design, function or condition beyond the simple fact that it exists. Based on the information in the terminal, it can be presumed that this Vault is experimental. It can also be presumed that it has not yet opened, as so far no trace has been found of its populace (much like Vaults 63 and 96). Finally, based on the information in the terminal and some logical supposition, it can be assumed that it is numbered 77 or higher. And by supposition, she means that the entries were Vault 51, REDACTED, Vault 76, REDACTED, REDACTED and REDACTED. Compelling! - R Conn I wonder if this mystery Vault is the theorised "evacuation" Vault - K Mainglov Editorials The Vault 94 Threat By Taphault Van Nurdlehammer As we now know, Vault 94 is functionally destroyed. Its inhabitants were killed in a burst of intense radiation caused by its GECK unit, which left the actual structure of the Vault intact. Despite being the cause of this destruction, the GECK continued to function afterwards, albeit in an uncontrolled way that is well outside of its original programming. Without supervision, and with its functions likely corrupted by the damage it suffered, the GECK has filled the Vault with mutated plant life that has, in turn grown out and expanded. We now know that the ecology of the Mire region; it’s swampy terrain, unusual plants and predatory aquatic creatures are the result of the malfunctioning GECK unit. Vault 94’s structure remains largely intact, even if it has suffered some damage. Left to their own devices for nearly twenty-five years, the plants spawned by the GECK have expanded and filled the Vault, turning it into a mutated jungle somewhat akin to the Mire that spawned. This environment has also become home to mutated creatures, including a variety of Mirelurk species and various insects such as Bloodbugs, Bloatflies and Cave Crickets. It is also home to a number of Feral Ghouls, presumably the mutated forms of those who were inside the Vault at the time. The Vault Door sealed itself shut during the GECK incident as a part of its automated safety processes. While it has recently unsealed itself, cursory exploration of the Vault suggests that there is very little of actual value left inside, while the mutated flora and fauna infesting it represent significant hazards. There is a very strong temptation to simply leave it be, if for no other reason than to preserve the sanctity of those that died inside of it. Unfortunately, simply put, that is not a viable option. While the structure of Vault 94 itself is still sound, the same cannot be said for its vital operational systems. While the Vault suffered a catastrophic incident, it was also one that would have left its various systems operating. They have now been in continual function for a quarter of a century with no maintenance, no supervision and no regulation of their functions. Furthermore, they may have been inadvertently compromised by the various plants and creatures inside the Vault. There are any number of scenarios that could result from simply leaving the Vault alone. The worst case is a catastrophic failure of its Vault-Tec Super Reactor, a scenario that is only made more likely by the damage suffered by the GECK. Such a failure would first and foremost create a catastrophic nuclear explosion that would devastate the region for tens of miles around. This would then be followed by the subsequent nuclear fallout that would devastate Appalachia, especially the still relatively untouched forest region. Such an event would be catastrophic for the tenuous grip humans have on the region, but the radiation would likely carry even further. This is but one of the many scenarios that could be caused by simply leaving the Vault to decay. Tentative probing exploration has revealed that portions of the Vault’s structure are flooded, and that its internal pump system is in a state of disrepair. Continued flooding could lead to a structural collapse that would, in turn, flood the region with contaminated water. Furthermore, that water has been a breeding ground for potentially unknown species of plants and animals, which could result in further mutation of the Mire’s ecosystem. But the threat of Vault 94 goes beyond simply its structure and technology. Another issue that has to be considered is the continual growth of the Mire and the mutated plant and animal life that infests it. While the Vault re-sealed itself shortly after the GECK disaster, the mutated plants that it spawned have continued to grow and spread unchecked. Recovered records kept by the Free States indicate that the Mire began mutating shortly after the explosion, and that the growth spread rapidly. It is likely that this growth escaped the Vault, possibly by burrowing out through the ground underneath it. The continual operation of the GECK had probably continued to fuel its growth and expansion. While so far limited to a single region, the signature red vines have been found as far away as Morgantown. Given their invasive and destructive nature, the vines represent a considerable threat, and need to be contained. Deactivating the GECK would likely go a long way towards stymying their expansion. Unfortunately, for all the technology and training that we have access to, it is likely that permanent stabilisation of the Vault will be impossible. At best we may be able to temporarily repair it or halt its decline, but there is a very real risk that it may further destabilise and produce one of the catastrophic outcomes described. The Evacuation Vault By Rita Conn In my exploration of Appalachia, I found numerous records of the people that had once lived there. Holotapes, notes, journals, letters and so on all told the story of life after the Great War, and how those who survived it tried to carry on with their lives as best that they could. A number of these did feature a surprising common element, being mentions of relatives or friends being evacuated to a Vault. This does raise one issue: what Vault was it they were being evacuated to? The Residents of Vault 76 were all pre-selected well before the Great War. We were the best and brightest that America would have to offer, the ones who would emerge on Reclamation Day to begin the reconstruction. When the Great War began, we were all evacuated and sealed inside the Vault. Those that were not on the list were simply not admitted; the Vault could not afford to risk its valuable occupants for the lives of random strangers. It was a harsh calculus, but one that made perfect sense for ensuring the best chance of success. (Incidentally, some of the vehicles that were used by these hopefuls still remain to this day, gridlocked as they snake their way up the side of the mountain towards the Vault 76 carpark where they were in turn blocked by barricades and army vehicles) After emerging on reclamation day, we found that 76 was not the only Vault in Appalachia. Five others were located as we explored, Vaults 51, 63, 94 and 96. However, the question remains of one of these was indeed the mysterious evacuation vault. Even the most preliminary investigation of Vault 94 while it was still sealed made it clear that it was not Evacuation Vault. The terminals outside of the Vault indicated that its population were planned, having been raised from a single religious community. With what we now know about Vault-Tec experimenting on the Vault populations, such a group would have obviously been a part of a pre-planned experiment. As such, it’s obvious that 94 is not the Evacuation Vault. For some time, Vault 51 was considered to be a likely candidate. It had a surface-based entrance and was located near several major roads. Furthermore, it was comparatively close to locations that we knew people had been evacuated from in order to get to a Vault, being Flatwoods and Clarksburg. However, recent discoveries by Alicia Morgan (our ever so amazing editor) has also confirmed that Vault 51’s population was pre-selected in order to ensure the most diverse population possible for whatever experiment was going on inside. As such, we can rule it out as being the Evacuation Vault as well. That leaves Vault 63 and 96 as the possible candidates. Each one of them presents their own problems for such a role, however. Vault 63 is located near several population centres; it is located between Lewisburg and Welch, which means it could easily take in residents evacuated from both. However, as noted by Kyle Mainglov, it’s design is needlessly obscure. The Vault is located in a cave behind a secret door in a toolshed on the side of a mountain. Furthermore, the Vault clearly lacks the facilities to support a large-scale evacuation; if anything, it’s very discrete. While not definitive, it does seem that Vault 63 is not a likely candidate. Conversely, Vault 96 is far away from practically everything. Located in the southern reaches of the Savage Divide, it is nowhere near any major settlements, which would hamper its role in any evacuation. The Vault is serviced by a single narrow, winding, unsealed mountain road which in turn connects to a single railway station. Simply getting anyone to the Vault would be difficult in and of itself, especially given that the known evacuees would have to be moved halfway across the state to get there. While again not definitive, it simply seems to be too far away from anything to provide a functional evacuation point. (As a side note, these same elements are a big part of why I suspect that both 63 and 96 were experimental Vaults) So what does that leave? Fortunately, our fearless chief editor may have an answer in the form of the mysterious Sixth Vault. Described to the best of our knowledge above (which admittedly isn’t much), the Sixth Vault could have served as a point of evacuation for Appalachian residents who had signed with Vault-Tec. The very fact that we haven’t physically located it yet could be an indicator of its function as an Evacuation Vault; after all, the best way to protect people is to conceal them. However, just because this hypothetical Vault did not have a pre-selected population does not mean that it was not experimental by any means. As noted, Vault 76 is the designated Control Vault for the Appalachian region. This implies that the others are purely experimental. So far we have confirmed that both 51 and 94 were experimental, which does seem to support that claim. As such, we can only assume that, while not being pre-selected by Vault-Tec, the residents of said Vault were a part of some nefarious scheme no less. So where is this Vault? That we cannot say. Logic would put it near a major settlement, but not so close that it might be destroyed by a nuclear strike. Our evidence suggests that it was the recipient of people from the Forest and Toxic Valley regions, which would suggest that it in those areas. This would then in turn put it relatively close to Vaults 76 and 51, which are already the closest Vaults to each other in the region. One thing is for sure. The mysterious evacuation Vault could still represent a very real threat to Appalachia. Category:Magazines